Just a guy in Vermont trying to connect all the dots...
Dan York
Author's posts
Feb 03
FIR On Technology Episode 3 – Understanding Markdown
What is the Markdown language all about? How is it being used on sites like Ello, Github and in the Jetpack plugin for WordPress? Why should communicators and others involved in PR or marketing careabout Markdown? How can it help more rapidly create content for the web?
Those are all questions I sought to answer in episode 3 of FIR On Technology with Dan York that I published last Friday. The podcast is now available for listening directly on the FIR website or in iTunes or the podcast RSS feeds.
On the episode web page I also provided a list of links for people wanting to know more about Markdown, which I'm reprinting here:
- Wikipedia on Markup languages
- Wikipedia on Markdown
- Markdown Overview
- Markdown Basics
- Markdown Syntax
- Markdown in the Jetpack plugin for WordPress
- WordPress.com Markdown Quick Reference
- Ello: How To Format Posts Using Markdown
- GitHub Flavored Markdown
- MultiMarkdown
- Markdown Extra
- CommonMark
- 35+ Markdown Apps For The Mac
- MacDown
- The Best Markdown Editors for Windows
- 78 Tools for Writing and Previewing Markdown
I've found using Markdown to be extremely helpful in rapid content creation. I've naturally been using it on Ello (where I also wrote about this FIR On Technology episode) and on Github, but I'm also starting to use it for some posts on a couple of my WordPress sites courtesy of the Jetpack plugin. As I note in the episode, Markdown is not something necessarily new... after all it first came out in 2004... but it has seemed to attract more interest in recent years.
One point I forgot to make in the episode is that Markdown is not the only "lightweight markup language" out there. There are definitely other similar languages, each with their own take on how to make markup simple. An example I've used on several sites in the past is Textile. However, my interest these days has been in Markdown, and there seems to be a good bit of momentum behind the language... and so hence this podcast.
Anyway... I hope you find it useful and helpful. If you do, or if you have other comments or ideas or suggestions about Markdown, please do leave a comment here - or over in the FIR Podcast Community on Google+.
Enjoy!
P.S. I also recorded a The Dan York Report episode providing a preview of this FIR On Technology episode:
If you found this post interesting or useful, please consider either:
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Feb 02
TDYR 221 – Explaining Markdown in FIR On Technology Episode 3
TDYR 221 - Explaining Markdown in FIR On Technology Episode 3 by Dan York
Feb 02
Two Great Articles In ArsTechnica And Light Reading About ION Conferences, IPv6, DNSSEC
We were pleased to see two great articles out today about our ION Conferences and our efforts to accelerate the deployment of IPv6 and DNSSEC. The articles followed on our news release about the 2015 ION conferences and were:
- Ars Technica: Internet Society tries to serve ‘Net providers tasty IPv6-and-DNSSEC salad by Iljitsch van Beijnum
and
- Light Reading: ISOC Urges Faster Security Standards Adoption by Carol Wilson
Both articles do a great job of explaining what we’re trying to do. I enjoyed that both writers liked the “broccoli” angle. Here was Carol Wilson:
“It’s a little like getting people to eat their broccoli,” Grunderman admits. Network operators can’t charge more for services after deploying these standards, but their deployment makes the entire Internet experience better for everyone by adding security and resiliency.
Exactly!
Many thanks to both writers for taking the time to understand what we are doing and to write about it on their respective sites.
And if you would like to get started with IPv6 or DNSSEC, please visit our Start Here page to begin!
Feb 02
Congratulations To Alec Saunders On His Move To Microsoft
And now he's returning to his roots! He was one of the first product managers for Internet Explorer at Microsoft... and now he's back at Microsoft again! As he says in his post:
As of last Monday, I’ve rejoined Microsoft in the role of Principal Technical Evangelist. My beat is Canada – not just Kitchener-Waterloo. My boss is Microsoft Chief Evangelist and Corporate Vice President for Developer Experience, Steven “Guggs” Guggenheimer. I’m part of the global Microsoft Ventures team. And we run programs, like the Microsoft Ventures Accelerators, that are focused on helping early stage companies achieve their full potential.
I've long been skeptical about Microsoft and frustrated with many of their products and services. In particularly I haven't been pleased at all with the lackluster evolution of Skype (or really lack thereof) under Microsoft's watch... but the list of other products that have frustrated me can go on.
BUT... I'll admit that they've been doing some interesting things lately - and their new leadership seems like they have a clue. It's probably a great time for dynamic people like Alec to re-join Microsoft. The role sounds perfect for him... using so many of his different strengths!
I'm looking forward to seeing what he does in that role ... and if my travels bring me back up to Canada I'll look forward to catching up with him somewhere in all the madness.
Congrats, Alec!
If you found this post interesting or useful, please consider either:
- following me on Twitter;
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Feb 02
FIR #793 – 2/2/15 – For Immediate Release
Nominate FIR for Podcast Awards and write a review for iTunes; Quick News: Facebook owns social sharing, British Army sets up brigade to win the Information Age, Uber's models come to the workplace, PR firm launches WhatsApp information service; Ragan promo; News That Fits: Pros and cons of microchipped employees, Dan York's Tech Report, 7 scientific reasons to use emoticons, Media Monitoring Minute from CustomScoop, listener comments, online reputation becomes more valuable than money or power, Igloo Software promo, the last week on the FIR Podcast Network, designing for mobile-only and Snapchat's new Discover service; how to comment; music from Keller Williams; and more.
Feb 02
FIR #793 – 2/2/15 – For Immediate Release
Nominate FIR for Podcast Awards and write a review for iTunes; Quick News: Facebook owns social sharing, British Army sets up brigade to win the Information Age, Uber's models come to the workplace, PR firm launches WhatsApp information service; Ragan promo; News That Fits: Pros and cons of microchipped employees, Dan York's Tech Report, 7 scientific reasons to use emoticons, Media Monitoring Minute from CustomScoop, listener comments, online reputation becomes more valuable than money or power, Igloo Software promo, the last week on the FIR Podcast Network, designing for mobile-only and Snapchat's new Discover service; how to comment; music from Keller Williams; and more.
Feb 01
NFL Super Bowl to Stream Live Today for Free – Who Will Be Measuring Statistics? (Featured Blog)
Today NBC is streaming the NFL's Super Bowl live for free through mobile apps as well as their NBC Sports website. Given the number of "cord-cutters" and mobile users out there, I suspect there should be a good number of people watching the event through the live streams today. More...
Jan 30
Internet Society Job Opening: Senior Manager, Media Relations
The Senior Manager Media Relations will be responsible for developing and executing public relations programs to increase the visibility and thought leadership of the Internet Society in the media.. The media relations strategy aligns with the organization’s priorities and is focused on programs and initiatives in the areas of Internet policy, technology, development, and education.
This new role will report to the Director of Media and Communications, be part of the Communications Team, and have a broad purview with many opportunities for visibility and impact. The candidate will collaborate with senior management, subject matter experts, and Regional Bureau Directors around the world. This position will be located in the Internet Society office either in Reston, Virginia USA or Geneva, Switzerland.
I can't speak highly enough about what the mission of the Internet Society means to me - and how critically important this time is right now in the evolution of the Internet. Back in 2011 I wrote about why joining the staff of the Internet Society was important to me - and 3.5 years later those reasons are still as important today as they were then... if not even more so! We've got an aggressive set of activities planned for 2015 - and we need people to help turn that action plan into reality.
We need people to join us to help tell the story of why the choices we make today for the Internet matter - and what we all as individuals and as organizations can do. In this particular position we're seeking someone who can help with connections out to the media around the world.
If you have a background in public relations / media relations, this is your chance to join a mission-based organization focused on ensuring that the Internet remains open for everyone around the world.
I love waking up fired up to go out there and help in whatever small way I can... you can join us!
PLEASE NOTE: I am personally not involved in the hiring for this position... the way to submit your information for consideration is at the bottom of the position posting.
If you found this post interesting or useful, please consider either:
- following me on Twitter;
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Jan 30
Today’s VUC Google+ Hangout About “Moving The Web To HTTPS”
It’s a bit late-notice for many of you, I realize, but in about 1.5 hours at 12 noon US EST (17:00 UTC) today, the “IP Communications & VoIP Community” will be having a Google+ Hangout on Air on topic of “MoreCrypto: Moving the Web to HTTPS”. Given that this relates to our TLS For Applications topic area, I thought it might be of interest – and I’m intending to join myself. For more info and the link to watch just click/tap the image:
As noted on the VUC episode page, the speaker is:
Daniel Appelquist, who describes himself as an “open web advocate”, joins us to talk about TLS on the web: some good reasons for using it and the common objections to it. As someone with a very wide experience in IP and network communications, a session with Dan and our VUC regulars should be excellent!
Dan is also a co-chair of the W3C Technical Architecture Group (W3C TAG). The TAG is a special working group within the W3C, chartered (under the W3C Process Document) with stewardship of the Web architecture.
The session will be recorded for later viewing at that same link.
